Spacer disk for the production of a floor covering

ABSTRACT

A spacer disk for the laying of construction plates on a rigid base has an upper surface and a lower surface and formed with radial running raised portions arranged on the upper surface thereof and defining a joint width of the plates. The spacer disk is of ring form, having a center opening and formed on the lower surface at a region thereof lying and following opposite the raised portions, respectively, two linear running recesses extending across the width of the ring.

United States Patent [191 Schaub Jan. 21, 1975 1 SPACER DISK FOR THEPRODUCTION OF A FLOOR COVERING [76] Inventor: Karl Schaub, Lupineweg 7,3501 Niedenstein, Germany [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.:403,627

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Serv No. 160,597,July 8, 1971,

abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 10, 1970 Germany 2034331[52] U.S. Cl. 52/98, 52/263 [51] Int. Cl E04b 5/43 [58] Field of Search52/263, 506, 510, 392,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gerosa 52/390 Martin248/188.2

3,318,057 5/1967 Norsworthy 52/480 X 3,363,375 l/l968 Payne 52/480 XR26,239 7/1967 Rockahrand ct L11. 52/480 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 235,542 9/1964 Austria 52/263 Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw,Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest G. Montague; Karl F. Ross; HerbertDubno [57] ABSTRACT A spacer disk for the laying of construction plateson a rigid base has an upper surface and a lower surface and formed withradial running raised portions arranged on the upper surface thereof anddefining a joint width of the plates. The spacer disk is of ring form,having a center opening and formed on the lower surface at a regionthereof lying and following opposite the raised portions, respectively,two linear running recesses extending across the width of the ring.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SPACER DISK FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A FLOORCOVERING The present application is a continuation of the copendingpatent application, Ser. No. 160,597, which was filed on July 8, 1971and is now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a spacer disk for the production of afloor covering, e.g. a floor covering formed of plates placed adjacentand behind each other on a solid base.

Plates for the formation of a floor covering for coating of terraces,balconies, covered walks and walkable flat roofs are laid directly onthe substrate and are connected with the latter by means of cement orthe like. In case of a nonuniform substrate the danger exists, that dueto the effect of frost and sun rays the floor covering can be destroyed.Often a loosening of individual plates results, and the plates can befitted again only in a troublesome manner to the plane of the platejoint.

Socalled joint formers for floor tiles to be applied to a wall are knownwhich serve only the purpose of assuring an orderly spacing of theindividual floor tiles from each other.

The joint formers are used thereby merely as a gauge. After the platesare joined, for example on a working table to a joint, the joint formeris removed and the plates are bonded in known manner with cement or thelike with the corresponding wall.

Contrary thereto, the system of the present application serves only forthe covering of approximately horizontal faces. It is an object of thepresent invention, to provide a spacer disk for the production of afloor covering in which the drawbacks of the prior art arrangements areavoided, and to provide a spacer disk, with which a floor covering canbe formed in a particularly simple manner. The floor covering includingthe individual plates should be maintained thereby at a distance fromthe understructure in a defined position. The understructure must remainaccessible, especially, in order to permit repairs on the latter. Theindividual plates should be easily subject to replacement relative toeach other. In case of coverings laid on the outside, trouble-freedraining of water must be permitted.

It is another object of the present invention, to provide a spacer diskfor the production of a floor covering, wherein for the formation ofwater-draining joints, the plates are loosely laid with their cornersagainst the spacer disks which are composed of slide-fast material andare disposed between the abutting plates or between the latter and thesupport, respectively, which disks are formed with raised portionscorresponding with the joint width to be obtained at the upper side atan angular distance adjusted to the plate shape, the

plates supporting themselves laterally against the raised portions. Forthe balancing of the height in case of an uneven subsurface, one part ofthe spacer disks is laid on additional support disks of differentthicknesses. The floor covering designed in accordance with the presentinvention offers a number of advantages.

The distances disks are laid loosely on the subsurface. The plates arelaid likewise loosely on the spacer disks, whereby each plate corner isguided between two raised portions or beads of the spacer disk. Theloose support of the plates in a double manner is possible because thespacer disks are formed of slide-fast material. By this arrangement theplates are fixed clearly in their position, they are easily exchangeableand the substructure, for example the roof skin, can be renewed andrepaired upon removal of the plates and of the spacer disks, since it isaccessible without hindrance.

The spacer disk in accordance with the present invention is made ofslide-fast material, whereby on the upper side raised portions or beadsare provided, which are provided in an angular distance depending uponthe form of the plates to be laid and are of a thickness depending uponthe joint width to be obtained. For the purpose of sound proofing, thedisk is made of elastic material. The beads provided on the upper sideof the disk are preferably formed by radially extending ribs. The diskconsists suitably of a circular ring.

The raised portions and ribs, respectively, provided on the upper sideof the disk define an angle therebetween, which corresponds to the angledefined between the adjacent side edges of the plate to be laid. On theunder side of the disk are provided recesses, joints, grooves or thelike facilitating water draining. They preferably extend in radialdirection.

In a particular embodiment the recesses, grooves, joints or the likeprovided on the underside of the disk are arranged at least at bothsides of the projections, ribs or the like provided on the upper side ofthe disk. In addition to the water drainage obtained thereby, it ispossible to separate the spacer disk in order to obtain correspondingspacer disk pieces for the laying of the fioor covering edge. Therecesses, grooves, joints or the like, provided on the underside, thusform separating joints along which the disk can be divided intosegments.

To compensate for an uneven subsurface, supporting disks of slide-fastelastic material are provided which have at least one separating jointextending over the disk.

The concept of the present invention is to be seen also in the use ofspacer disks of slide-fast material as lost mountings for plates to belaid loosely on a support and to be fixed in their position. By thisparticular use the above stated advantages are brought about.

The. device of the present invention has also the advantage, that hightemperatures due to the effects of the sun and tensions in the coverplates cannot be transmitted to the subsurface, so that structuraldamage is avoided easily. Beyond this the spacer disk offers manyadvantages during the laying of the floor covering. A flush laying of aplurality of plates results to a certain degree necessarily, since eachspacer disk is aligned corresponding by the previously laid plates, ifthe raised portions constitute joint formers for an abutment for thepreviously made plates.

The object of the present invention is to provide a base plate ordistance disk which makes possible the loose setting of construction orfloor plates on uneven ground in a most simple manner, being easilydivisible for the laying on of the edge region, and so as to allow waterdrainage from the free space formed between the construction plates andthe base.

This is attained in accordance with the present invention by a spacerdisk formed in the shape of a ring and having two recesses extendingover the ring width on the lower side of the ring lying opposite theraised portions, respectively.

Thereby the essential advantages are achieved in the setting of theplates. The construction of the spacer disk as a ring, results in thelowest material insertion and optimal laying on. The recesses providedon the lower side and arranged along the raised portions on the upperside, result in good adjustment for uneveness of the base, andfacilitates accurate subdivision into individual segments, as isrequired in the end regions of the laying of the plates. The ring-shapedopening in combination with the radially running recesses on the lowerside permits unhindered water drainage from the ring opening.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the spacer disk;

FIG. 2 is a elevation view of the spacer disk of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the corner region of four plates arrangedon a spacer disk; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plate corner with engaging spacer diskand a supporting disk shown in an exploded view.

The spacer disk of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises substantially a disk 1, whichis equipped at its upper side with raised portions or beads 2. For thelaying of rectangular or square plates, each disk 1 has four raisedportions 2. For the laying of hexagonal plates, the disk 1 must havethree raised portions 2, whereby the raised portions 2 are distributedin a regular angular spacing on the upper side of the disk 1 there. Onthe bottom side of the disk 1 are, as can be recognized in FIG. 2,groove-like recesses 3 and 4, which serve for the drainage of water andalso as separating joints for the division of the disks into segmentsfor the laying of the edge of the floor covering.

As can be ascertained from FIG. 4, one corner 5 of a plate 6 lies on thedisk 1 in such manner that the end faces 7 and 8 of the plate 6 comeinto engagement with two adjacent raised portions 2. The disk 1 isloosely laid on the subsurface, possibly with the aid of a supportingdisk 9 to compensate for uneveness of the subsurface. The supportingdisk a has a radially extending separating groove 10 passing through thecenter thereof.

It is should be apparent that the disks 1 are laid loosely on thesubsurface. Also between the plate 6 and the disks 1 no rigid connectionexists.

As shown in FIG. 3, the comers 5 of the plates 6 are positioned withtheir end faces 7 and 8 against adjacent rib-like portions 2 on thedistance disk.

The system of the present invention has a number of advantages. Theplates 6 are retained in a defined spacing from each other and from thesubsurface. During the laying of the plates in the open air, water canbe drained below the plates 6 undisturbed. Frost damage is avoided. Atransfer of heat or tensions from the plates 6 to the subsurface is notpossible to a detrimental extent.

The loose laying in the aforedescribed double manner has the advantagethat individual plates 6 can be exchanged without any effort in casethey become defective or their appearance has been damaged. Also theunderstructure is accessible completely in a simple manner, after theplates and the disks 1 are removed. This is required for a renewal orrepair of the subsurface, for example of a roof skin.

During laying of the floor covering a particularly easy handlingresults, whereby a joint exactly corresponding with the width of theraised portions 2 is obtained and a flush positioning of the plates 6 isachieved.

The disk 1, consists preferably of a synthetic material which is agingresistant, weather resistant, and suitably oil resistant.

I claim:

1. A spacer for the laying of construction plates on a rigid base,comprising a spacer disk having an upper surface and a lower surface andformed with radially running raised portions arranged on said uppersurface thereof and defining a joint width of said plates, said spacerdisk being of ring form, having a center opening and being formed insaid lower surface in a region thereof lying and following opposite tosaid raised portions, respectively, with two linearly running recessesextending across the width of said ring form.

2. The spacer defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses furtherconstitute separation joints, for

separating said disk into segments.

3. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said disk is of elasticmaterial for the purpose of sound proofing.

4. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said raised portions of saiddisk are radially extending ribs.

5. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said disk is formed as acircular ring.

6. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said recesses extend radiallyin said disk.

7. The spacer defined in claim 6, wherein a pair of said recesses insaid lower surface of said disk are disposed on both sides of each ofthe corresponding raised portions on the upper surface of said disk.

8. A spacer disk and support disc combination for laying of constructionplates on a rigid base, comprising a spacer disk having an upper surfaceand a lower surface and formed with radially running raised portionsarranged on said upper surface thereof and defining a joint width ofsaid plates,

said distance disk being of ring form, having a center opening andforming in said lower surface in a region thereof lying and followingopposite to said raised portions, respectively, two linearly runningrecesses extending across the width of said ring form, and

a support disk,

said lower surface of said distance disk being laid on said supportdisk.

1. A spacer for the laying of construction plates on a rigid base,comprising a spacer disk having an upper surface and a lower surface andformed with radially running raised portions arranged on said uppersurface thereof and defining a joint width of said plates, said spacerdisk being of ring form, having a center opening and being formed insaid lower surface in a region thereof lying and fOllowing opposite tosaid raised portions, respectively, with two linearly running recessesextending across the width of said ring form.
 2. The spacer defined inclaim 1, wherein said recesses further constitute separation joints, forseparating said disk into segments.
 3. The spacer defined in claim 2,wherein said disk is of elastic material for the purpose of soundproofing.
 4. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said raised portionsof said disk are radially extending ribs.
 5. The spacer defined in claim2, wherein said disk is formed as a circular ring.
 6. The spacer definedin claim 2, wherein said recesses extend radially in said disk.
 7. Thespacer defined in claim 6, wherein a pair of said recesses in said lowersurface of said disk are disposed on both sides of each of thecorresponding raised portions on the upper surface of said disk.
 8. Aspacer disk and support disc combination for laying of constructionplates on a rigid base, comprising a spacer disk having an upper surfaceand a lower surface and formed with radially running raised portionsarranged on said upper surface thereof and defining a joint width ofsaid plates, said distance disk being of ring form, having a centeropening and forming in said lower surface in a region thereof lying andfollowing opposite to said raised portions, respectively, two linearlyrunning recesses extending across the width of said ring form, and asupport disk, said lower surface of said distance disk being laid onsaid support disk.